"Women are Motherland."
Shanti Teen
Shanti means Peace. Tonight, I am marinating in it. We've spent the past two days at Shanti Uganda, an eco birth center in a rural village in Luwero District. Last year we stomped mud, plastered walls, and laid bricks. To coin a birth phrase, which seems perfectly appropriate at Shanti, we were here for the hard labor. This year we got to see how much our beautiful baby has grown up. We sang and danced with the HIV+ Women's Group in the round house that we built. I got to reconnect with Bubeeri, the shy sparkly-eyed woman who had invited me into her home for dinner last year and Janet, the young nurse who had been present at the birth I attended in a different clinic. Familiar faces are such an incredible gift when you are so far from home.
Today, I got to teach yoga to groups of teen girls who are participating in the Shanti Teen Program which I am honored to be sponsoring. I love knowing that these young women will be nurtured and supported by the Shanti community and will have mentors like Bubeeri and Janet. The teens asked to make Women's Rights shirts. We provided the paints, they provided the slogans. I hope the slogans they wore today on their shirts will forever be imprinted in their hearts:
"Women Are Needed"
"Women Are Beautiful"
"Women Are Strong"
"Women are Motherland"
I have reached the motherland. Om Shanti, Shanti. XO, Amanda
No comments:
Post a Comment